Many scientific laboratories are equipped with laboratory storage units for purposes of storing hazardous, toxic or biologically sensitive and/or degradable materials which are being used or studied in a clinical/laboratory environment. Such storage units include cabinets and drawers as well as environmentally controlled units such as refrigerators, humidifiers, and incubators. Due to the nature of the materials typically stored in such units and the health risks some of these materials may impose upon laboratory personnel if not properly contained, it is important that any laboratory storage unit used to contain such materials be constructed in a manner adapted to prevent the unit from disgorging its contents or breaching the controlled environment therewithin when the unit is subjected to a sudden force or shock.
Typically, laboratory storage units such as refrigerators, incubators and cabinets are equipped with magnetic latches to maintain the units in a closed configuration. However, because of the relatively low holding force exerted by such magnetic latches, such latches will oftentimes fail when the storage unit is bumped or otherwise subjected to sudden movement as would occur during an earthquake (i.e. seismic activity). Additionally, magnetic latches, as well as other latching mechanisms, are not adapted to provide a clearly visible indication that the storage unit is in a closed configuration. This deficiency is particularly significant with respect to refrigerators wherein oftentimes the refrigerator door is left slightly ajar when an article is removed therefrom. In this regard, materials stored within the refrigerator may become contaminated or degraded before a laboratory technician may discover that the door has not been properly closed.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for a latch mechanism which is operable to maintain laboratory storage units in a closed configuration, wherein the latch mechanism exerts a holding force which cannot easily be overcome and also provides a visual indication as to whether the storage unit is in a closed configuration.